NOW IN HANDS OF ALLIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 July 1943, Page 3

NOW IN HANDS OF ALLIES

And Italian Resistance Crumbling BUT REINFORCEMENTS STILL BEING BROUGHT IN PERSISTENT ALLIED AIR ATTACKS ON SARDINIA & MAINLAND LONDON, July 21. Although at least half of Sicily is in Allied hands and Italian resistance is crumbling everywhere, it is stated that the Germans have by no means written off the island as lost. General Eisenhower told Press correspondents this afternoon that the enemy is attempting to establish a strong line of defence in Eastern Sicily, including Mount Etna.. In order to do so, the enemy is bringing reinforcements from Italy and Germany. Axis forces in Sicily are rapidly breaking up in the west and many enemy vehicles are to be seen converging on the north-eastern corner of the island. Italian prisoners captured recently make it clear who the vehicles are carrying. The Germans, have taken the mechanised equipment belonging to Italian motorised divisions and the Italians are now retreating as fast as they can on foot, with the Germans miles ahead. Fierce fighting is still going on in the Catania area, where the Eighth Army is meeting very strong German resistance. The Germans says the Eighth Army is now attacking from the west of Catania as well as from the south. One of the contributing causes of the retreat of the enemy in the west of the island is the capture by the Allies of Enna, which fell yesterday to Canadian and American troops. A few days ago the enemy spoke of Enna as being the key of Sicily. Its fall means that the enemy has no satisfactory communication line between the west and east of the island. Canadian troops have already pushed well to the north of Enna, in spite of Axis attempts to delay them. Further west, the American Seventh Army is fanning out rapidly inland and along the coast. /The air offensive is concentrated on Axis airfields in Italy and Sardinia. The latest operations include attacks on two big airfields near Naples and two more further north. They were attacked again and again in day and night raids. Many enemy aircraft on the ground were wrecked or set on fire. Very little . air opposition was met with.